NEDA Region VI OIC Regional Director and RDC VI Acting Chairperson Arecio A. Casing, Jr. delivered the State of the Region Address (SORA) during the 3rd Quarter Full Council Meeting of the Regional Development Council for CY 2022 on October 13, 2022 at the L’Fisher Hotel in Bacolod City.
In his message, Director Casing reported that NEDA is currently coordinating the consultative process and preparations for a new Regional Development Plan (RDP). The RDP reflects the government’s social and economic policies, strategies and programs consistent with the socioeconomic agenda set forth by the current administration.
“The PDP and the RDP will be our blueprint in steering the economy back to the high growth trajectory that we were experiencing pre-pandemic. This is part of the transformation for a prosperous, inclusive and resilient society, and in achieving the country’s long term vision of a “matatag, maginhawa at panatag na buhay para sa lahat,” Casing explained.
The SORA also highlighted the gains and losses of Western Visayas in the course of the COVID-19 situation. Despite the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic causing poverty incidence among individuals to rise to 19 percent in 2021 from 16.3 percent in 2018, there are already positive growths seen in the areas of agriculture, tourism and employment.
Director Casing is confident that with all the regional partners working together, Western Visayas will rebound to its pre-pandemic pace of development. (CPGaitana/NEDA VI)
